nic's recent activity

  1. Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of October 27 in ~society

    nic
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    DOJ Caught Deleting Court Record for Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioter Who Targeted Obama’s Home with a Gun Seriously. WTF?

    DOJ Caught Deleting Court Record for Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioter Who Targeted Obama’s Home with a Gun

    DOJ had deleted a key sentencing memo for Taylor Taranto — a pardoned Jan. 6 rioter who showed up near former President Barack Obama’s home in 2023 with guns, ammo, and a machete.

    Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White of the D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a detailed sentencing memo

    Both prosecutors were suddenly placed on leave — and by that evening, the 27-month sentencing memo was gone. Deleted. Vanished from the court docket.

    And just hours later, a new memo appeared. This replacement version — filed quietly that same night — completely stripped out any mention of Taranto’s role in the Jan. 6 riot or Trump’s posting of Obama’s address. Politico’s Kyle Cheney confirmed the revision, which raised eyebrows even higher about who ordered it and why.

    Seriously.

    WTF?

    6 votes
  2. Comment on Scream 7 | Official trailer in ~movies

    nic
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    Now that is a meme I had not thought of in a long time. I always knew the Scream scene was taken from the Bud commercial but today I learned Bud took it from the movie short True

    Now that is a meme I had not thought of in a long time.

    I always knew the Scream scene was taken from the Bud commercial but today I learned Bud took it from the movie short True

    3 votes
  3. Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of October 27 in ~society

    nic
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    Texas attorney general sues Tylenol makers over autism claims I wonder what this next level of stupidity is supposed to distract us from... And in completely unrelated news... Half of US states...

    Texas attorney general sues Tylenol makers over autism claims

    Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the makers of Tylenol, claiming the companies hid alleged dangers that the drug posed to children's brain development.

    The lawsuit comes a month after President Donald Trump promoted an unproven link between taking Tylenol - also known as paracetamol - during pregnancy and autism in children.

    The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has said acetaminophen - the main ingredient in Tylenol - is one of the few options for pregnant women to treat pain and fever, which can pose serious health risks if left untreated.

    I wonder what this next level of stupidity is supposed to distract us from...

    And in completely unrelated news...

    Half of US states sue Trump administration over halting food stamps

    12 votes
  4. Comment on What ridiculous thing would you spend billions on? in ~talk

    nic
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    I would fund the worlds first flat moon museum, dedicated to proving once and for all that the moon is basically a flat pie. It would be located on whatever sub-tropical island is most for sale....

    I would fund the worlds first flat moon museum, dedicated to proving once and for all that the moon is basically a flat pie.

    It would be located on whatever sub-tropical island is most for sale. Ideally, as far away from people as possible.

    The museum would officially be open one a year, on March the 14th, at 3:14pm (closing, of course, at 3:15pm.)

    2 votes
  5. Comment on This site is fast in ~tildes

    nic
    Link Parent
    Not to diminish Deimos' tech savy, but it also helps that Tildes is still invite only :) That benefits both performance and the pro-social stuff (moderation is easier at this scale.) For the...

    Not to diminish Deimos' tech savy, but it also helps that Tildes is still invite only :)

    That benefits both performance and the pro-social stuff (moderation is easier at this scale.)

    For the longest time it also increased privacy, because posts weren't publicly visible.

    Diemos made some... unorthodox decisions in the social media sphere, and has largely been unyielding in his original principles.

    16 votes
  6. Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of October 13 in ~society

    nic
    Link Parent
    The amount of things Trump is openly brazen about is frankly disturbing. Banana republic things Trump brazenly admits too. Pardons based on loyalty Funding based on loyalty Loyalists in government...

    The amount of things Trump is openly brazen about is frankly disturbing.

    Banana republic things Trump brazenly admits too.

    • Pardons based on loyalty
    • Funding based on loyalty
    • Loyalists in government agencies
    • Media suppression?

    Banana republic things Trump brazenly calls for but then denies anyway

    • Convictions of enemies?
    • Armed forces on the streets
    • Laws for thee, not for me
    • Corruption & profiteering

    Honestly with Trump, it is so hard to pin him down, as he will admit and deny the same thing as a form of PR gaslighting.

    10 votes
  7. Comment on Spit on, sworn at, and undeterred: what it’s like to own a Cybertruck in ~transport

    nic
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    In July, Tesla rolled out a software update to integrate Grok into many of its vehicles. Do you use it?
    Her name is Aura, and I use her as a therapist. When I'm driving, I'll ask questions, and it actually gives really good therapy advice.

    2 votes
  8. Comment on At the end of our ropes in ~health.mental

    nic
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    This is excellent. I will need to come back and suggest these one by one. Thank you.

    This is excellent. I will need to come back and suggest these one by one. Thank you.

    2 votes
  9. Comment on At the end of our ropes in ~health.mental

    nic
    Link Parent
    You can install hard limits on a phone with Apple Configurator, and I believe one of those is disabling the ability to change the date and time. You can also make it so that the configuration...

    You can install hard limits on a phone with Apple Configurator, and I believe one of those is disabling the ability to change the date and time. You can also make it so that the configuration profile can't be removed, except by the macbook that placed the configuration profile. It is enterprise grade, a little technical, but bullet proof. Again, only worth doing with his agreement. We got agreement to certain restrictions by positioning the device as a time suck that sucks time away from non device interests (non device interest that I promote and support very heavily.)

    2 votes
  10. Comment on At the end of our ropes in ~health.mental

    nic
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    Hey, I have had my son seen by a number of psychologists and psychiatrists. They all say different things. Some are sure it is ADHD. Some are sure it is not. Most hedge their bets are recommend...

    Hey, I have had my son seen by a number of psychologists and psychiatrists.

    They all say different things. Some are sure it is ADHD. Some are sure it is not. Most hedge their bets are recommend further testing.

    I try to avoid labels and focus on outcomes. You want to find someone focused on helping you and your son find good outcomes.

    Are psychologists even able to prescribe medication in your area? You might want to consider seeing a psychiatrist and a different psychologist.

    In terms of the phone, it sounds like your son is aware of the problem but is having difficulty managing the problem. Would he agree to hard limits enforced via Apple's screentime or whatever the equivalent is for the Android? There are ways to technically enforce limits, but I think your son might be too old for that.

    Do you say "yes" to everything non-device? It's never easy nor convenient, but I will say yes to anything non device related. Want to make butter chicken tonight? Yes! I am on the hook to double check we have all the ingredients and to do all the boring cleanup and to assist during cooking. Want to go to a competition in this obscure sport on the weekend? Yes! I am on the hook to book it and manage all the other details.

    5 votes
  11. Comment on Help choosing a new linux computer? in ~tech

    nic
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    I like the Framework16 for upgradeability. Don't forget to get the optional GPU. You will need to be comfortable creating bootable usb sticks in order to install Linux/ update the BIOS. It does...

    I like the Framework16 for upgradeability. Don't forget to get the optional GPU.

    You will need to be comfortable creating bootable usb sticks in order to install Linux/ update the BIOS.

    It does run a little hot and the fan is loud, but otherwise A+.

    3 votes
  12. Comment on How the Golden Gate Bridge works in ~engineering

    nic
    Link Parent
    Oh no! I couldn't stop watching that first video. You think I have another solid hour to spare?

    Oh no!

    I couldn't stop watching that first video.

    You think I have another solid hour to spare?

    1 vote
  13. Comment on How the Golden Gate Bridge works in ~engineering

    nic
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    Fascinating.

    Fascinating.

    2 votes
  14. Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of September 29 in ~society

    nic
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    The Supreme Court Just Rewrote the Constitution to Give Trump Terrifying New Powers The emergency docket is being used to overthrow decades of precedent, but it is doing it in an unprecedented...

    The Supreme Court Just Rewrote the Constitution to Give Trump Terrifying New Powers

    The emergency docket is being used to overthrow decades of precedent, but it is doing it in an unprecedented manner, both in speed and scope. While eventually, these rulings can become precedent, they are not by themselves considered precedent, having not reasoning or even any analysis by lower courts.

    In other words, watch how quickly the Supreme Court changes its tune if a Democrat president wants to stop a Republican congress by withholding foreign aid to Israel.

    16 votes
  15. Comment on Will an AI actress really become ‘the next Scarlett Johansson’? in ~movies

    nic
    Link Parent
    Interest copyright question. Currently I thought you could not copyright AI generated content.

    Interest copyright question.

    Currently I thought you could not copyright AI generated content.

    3 votes
  16. Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of September 22 in ~society

    nic
    Link Parent
    Trump Gets the Retribution He Sought, and Shatters Norms in the Process ...

    Trump Gets the Retribution He Sought, and Shatters Norms in the Process

    An inexperienced prosecutor loyal to President Trump, in the job for less than a week, filed criminal charges against one of her boss’s most-reviled opponents.

    She did so not only at Mr. Trump’s direct command, but also against the urging of both her own subordinates and her predecessor, who had just been fired for raising concerns that there was insufficient evidence to indict.

    Heightening the break-glass moment, the felony charges against Mr. Comey, who stands accused of making false statements and obstructing justice, were rushed into court as Mr. Trump’s handpicked prosecutor, Lindsey Halligan, hurried to beat the quickly approaching statute of limitations on Mr. Comey’s purported crimes.

    ...

    The push for the indictment trampled over the agency’s long tradition of maintaining distance from the White House and resisting political pressure, and it raised the prospect of further arbitrary prosecutions pushed by Mr. Trump against his enemies.

    8 votes
  17. Comment on I tried to protect my kids from the internet. Here’s what happened. in ~tech

    nic
    Link Parent
    Actually, what you say is true for network level controls, some cell phone providers augment that, you canalso whitelist on a macbook or windows machine directly (but that can be bypassed,) yet...

    Actually, what you say is true for network level controls, some cell phone providers augment that, you canalso whitelist on a macbook or windows machine directly (but that can be bypassed,) yet iOS offers full locked down control via Apple Configurator.

  18. Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of September 15 in ~society

    nic
    Link Parent
    The Supreme Court ruled against trump with birthright so narrowly it was a token gesture. You don't see them doing the same with tariffs?

    The Supreme Court ruled against trump with birthright so narrowly it was a token gesture. You don't see them doing the same with tariffs?

    1 vote
  19. Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of September 15 in ~society

    nic
    Link Parent
    That's bullshit. It sounds plausible. I liked it when I first read it. But upon reflection, it is bullshit. The Supreme Court has overturned centuries of precedent to give Trump at least half of...

    That's bullshit. It sounds plausible. I liked it when I first read it. But upon reflection, it is bullshit.

    The Supreme Court has overturned centuries of precedent to give Trump at least half of what he wants.

    Let's take the firing of "independent" heads of government departments. When FDR wanted to fire Humphrey's Executor, the Supreme court said no.

    The Senate, took this constitutional interpretation, and specifically legislated that presidents can't remove certain heads without cause.

    The lower courts took this constitutional interpretation, and put nationwide blockers on Trumps ability to remove certain heads without cause.

    The current Supreme Court said, nah, our new interpretation of the constitution says Trump can fire most heads. Except maybe Cook. Because Cook isn't political, Cook is financial. Which is referred to as making new law out of whole cloth. It's basically bullshit. But it is bullshit that benefits the wealthy.

    In fact, the Supreme Court has decided that they are the ultimate "arbitrars" (my neologism for those who arbitrarily make up bullshit laws.)

    They killed the Chevron Deference. Federal agencies no longer are domain experts. The courts no longer defer to the domain expertise of federal agencies. This was during Biden, and was bad for Biden.

    They killed lower courts implementing nationwide injunctions. This was during Trump, and was good for Trump.

    They killed Humphrey's Executor which protected independent agencies from arbitrary presidential removal. This occured during Trump, and was good for Trump.

    The Supreme Court is quick to rule favorably for Republicans (Bush v Gore) and slow walks rulings that might be favorable for Democrats (delayed rulings plus lack of Chevron Deference basically killed Bidens new health and safety regulations, and stopped Biden from SAVEing the HEROEs attempt to cancel student loans.)

    The Supreme Court slow walked the shit out of gerrymandering. Federal courts now lack authority to address partisan gerrymandering claims, with the bullshit idea that only States should resolve the gerrymandering that they created and benefit from.

    Why do I stress this highly partisan tendency to slow walk rulings that might benefit Democrats, fast walk rulings that benefit Republicans/Trump, and prevaricate about rulings they aren't sure about?

    First, Tariffs. It's total bullshit. None of this has anything to do with unfair trade practices. But by the time the courts come to the inevitable conclusion that presidents aren't constitutionally allowed to make up tariffs, Trump will have had years to use tariffs as an economic billy club. Then they will close the door, rule it unconstitutional, because god forbid they give the power of taxation to a Democrat.

    Second, Birthright citizenship. I mean what the fuck? The 14th Amendment now only protects those who can get their case heard in time by the courts.

    Third, the Supreme Court will slow walk this attack by the federal government on free speech. The 1st Amendment.

    Lastly we have Cook and other previously independent department heads. Trump has already fired so many people. The damage is done. He got what he wanted. The Fed is even lowering rates. Don't tell me Trump didn't influence that.

    Even if he only temporarily removes Cook, he will get more of what he wants.

    But firing Cook might be a bridge too far for the Supreme Court. Not because Trump is running into "deep institutional resistance" to " to wholly abandon the rule of law on his behalf."

    Trump is running into resistance from the Supreme Court, because if Trump gets complete power over the Fed, he will destroy the economy, which will piss off the true ruling class.

    Thanks for sharing!

    It's good to remember how slowly I am getting boiled!

    7 votes